Sand and fluid guide for oil-well equipment



May 1, 192.3.

M. M. MUCKELRATH SAND AND FLUID GUIDE FOR OIL WELL EQUIPMENT Filed April1927 Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

Mormon M. vMuo KELnATH, oE'E noEAno, AEKAnsAs, Assieivon 0E ONE-FOURTHTo onos A. BALL, oNE-EoUETH'ro ORVILLE c. BEEBE, AND ONE-FOURTH TO JAMESR. ALBRITTAIN, LL or EL Do Ano, nKANsAs.

SAND Ann FLUID GUIDE FOR OIL-WELL. EQUIPMENT.

Application filed April 18, 1927. Serial No. 184,627.

This invention relates to equipment for pumping oil wells and moreespecially to a structure for use on the end of the sucker rod whereby,during the operation of the pump,sand will be kept away from the cups inthe Working barrel.

It is a fact well known to those skilled in the art that in pumpingequipment for oil wells the old style cups in the Working barrel aremost desirable because they enable the pump to bring out more oil thanis possible with any other device. However these old types of cups havebeen found objectionable because they are quickly cut up by the sand.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means wherebyinjury to these cups by the sand is prevented.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of What is claimed, Without departin from the spirit of theinvention.

In t e accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the structure constitutin the presentinvention, a portion of the tube eing broken away. i

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sec tion through a portion of thetube, the housing thereon, and the sand guide between the tu e andhousing.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a tubeadapted to extend downwardly into the working barrel, not shown, and tobe supported therein with sufficient clearance therearound to allow thefluid to flow upwardly along the outer side of the tube. The usual cage2 with a ball 3 therein is connected to the upper end of the tube whileanother cage at having a ball 5 therein is connected to the lower end ofthe tube, said tube being attached to the standard travelling valve 6provided with the standard cups and followers 7.

Mounted on the tube is a sleeve 8 the lower endof which is tapered as at9 so as to seat on the upper endof the working barrel. The upper portionof this sleeve is re duced and exterior-1y screw threaded asat 10 whereit is engaged by the interiorly screw threaded end of a tubular housing11. This housing is spaced from the tube except at. its upper end whereit is in sliding contact with the tube, and numerous apertures 12 extendthrough the housing. Arranged around the tube and within the housing ina frusto-conical sand guide 13 the lower p01 tion of which contacts withthe lower por tion of the housing while the upper portion is spaced fromthe housing but contacts with the tube 1.

A coiled spring 14 is mounted on the tube 1 and bears at one end againstthe upper end of the housing 11. A bushing 15 is arranged on the tubenear the upper end thereof.

In practice the tube 1 is reciprocated and each time it descends thebushing 15 strikes and compresses the spring 14 so as to keep the sandagitated and prevent it from centering upon the upper end of the housing11. The guide 13, which is slidably engaged by the surface of the tube1, acts to scrape sand from the tube on the downward stroke so that thissand flows outwardly with the fluid through the apertures 12 and is thuskept away from the cups in the working barrel on which the tapered end 9of the sleeve 8 is seated. Thus old style cups can be used without beingcut up by the sand and the structure will consequently be more efficientthan those devices wherein means other than the old type cups 7 areemployed. During the operation of this device fluid will come in throughthe seat at the lower end of the tube 1 and travel through this tube,ultimately escaping past the valve 3. The perforated housing 11 is atall times covered with fluid because the well tubing will be full whilethe pump is working.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described including a tube, a cage at each endthereof, a valve within each cage, a travelling valve depend ing fromthe lower cage having cups and fol lowers, a tapered sleeve adapted tobe seated on a working barrel in which the tube is adapted to besuspended, said tube extending through the sleeve, a frusto-conicalscraper mounted on the sleeve and extending around the tube, and aperforated housing supported by the sleeve and enclosing the scraper.

2'. In a device of the class described a tube having a valved cage ateach end, a travelling valve depending from the lower cage having cupsand followers, a housing having apertures, said tube being slidablewithin the housing. means for supporting the housing above theupper endare working barrel in which the tube is adapted to be suspended, andmeans within the housing for scraping sand from said tube and directingit with fluid through the apertures in the housin 3. The combinationwith a tube having a 'alved cage at each end and a travelling valvedepending from the lower cage, of a sleeve on the tube adapted to beseated on the upper end of a working barrel in which the tube is adaptedto be suspended, a pcrforated housing supported by the sleeve andsurrounding the tube and means within the housing for scraping sand fromthe tube and directing it with fluid tl'irough the apertures in thehousing.

at. The combination with a tube having a valved cage at each end and atravelling valve depending from the lower cage, ot a sleeve on the tubeadapted to be $61 ted on the upper end of a working barrel iii which thetube is adapted to be suspended, a perforated housing supported by thesleeve and surrounding tlie tube, means within the housing for scrapingsand from the tube and directing it with fluid through the apertures inthe housing. a spring upon the tube and bearing against the upper end ofthe housing, and means movable with the tube for compressing the springduring each downward stroke of the tube, thereby to agitate sand andprevent it from accumulating on the upper end of the housin In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aliixed my 'signiuture.

MONROE M. MUoKnnRATr-r.

